Chances Are (1989) User Reviews

awkward premise

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 20 May 2017]

Corinne (Cybill Shepherd) and Louie Jeffries (Christopher McDonald) are expecting their first child. He's a prosecutor in Washington, D.C. He loses his case. Based on a tip from his best friend reporter Philip Train (Ryan O'Neal), he discovers that Judge Fenwick was bought off. He dies in an accident before he could see his child born. In the after-life, he is in a rush to return to his life. Before his memories are wiped, he races to be reborn. Years later, Alex Finch (Robert Downey Jr.) meets Miranda Jeffries (Mary Stuart Masterson) at Yale. Alex eventually remembers that he was Louie and Miranda is Louie's daughter.

It's charming and cute. Downey has wonderfully undeniable charms. The only thing holding me back is that awkward connection between Alex and Miranda. It's sort of psychic incest. I would have kept him with Cybill Shepherd all the way to the end. They are a fun pairing. It would also solidify them as true love beyond all barriers.

A love like no other

[blackberrybabe · 7/10 · 9 July 2004]

Another Downey must-see! If you are an obsessed fan like me, you have got to see this movie! He plays Alex Finch, a 22 year old Yale grad who realizes that the life he just came into is the life he left 26 years earlier. Alex is the re-incarnation of Louie Jeffries, a no-nonsense lawyer happily married to Corrine (Cybil Sheppard). Louie is killed on their one-year anniversary when he is hit by a car. He demands to go back, only this time in the body of Alex Finch. Enter Robert Downey Jr., a lot of confusion, and a lot of laughs.

Although this movie is 15-years old, it still makes you wonder if there really is such a thing as re-incarnation. And if so, how often to you meet the same souls life after life. I don't know the answer. But I do know that you need to see this movie. It is a riot, and Downey looks SO GOOD in a tuxedo. This film makes you believe in love, and true love never dies. It just gets recycled.

Puff-pastry reincarnation comedy...

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 1 April 2007]

Robert Downey, Jr. was never more relaxed and clean-cut--and benign--than he is here, cast as an ambitious young man who crosses paths with an older woman still mourning the death of her husband many years prior. Before you can say "déjà vu", Downey begins to understand he's the reincarnation of the woman's beloved...and that her playfully flirtatious daughter is actually his child too! Tasteful, easy-to-take romantic comedy written by Perry and Randy Howze mixes sentiment and farcical elements rather smoothly, and director Emile Ardolino keeps things moving fast, but there's nothing of substance here to make the film meaningful (or even memorable). When the Howze team do attempt a sense of seriousness (as with Ryan O'Neal telling Cybill Shepherd the only man to ever "come back" was Jesus Christ), the movie comes to a halt. There are some good performances, particularly by Shepherd (very low-keyed) and a twinkling Mary Stuart Masterson, but the picture is so cozy and glossy it practically evaporates. ** from ****

Very enjoyable!

[Cherob · 6 January 2002]

I saw 'Chances Are' with Cybill Shepherd, Ryan O'Neal, Robert Downey, Jr. and Mary Stuart Masterson today on cable, after having seen it many times before. I've always liked it. I liked the plotline of a loved one returning in another's body and being able to express earlier unsaid feelings and take care of 'unfinished business' in a warmhearted and comedic way. Yes, it's a total fantasy, but still, we can dream! I like all of the principal actors and find Robert Downey Jr. adorable. The music was also very enjoyable, as Johnny Mathis sings the title tune (obviously : ) ), and the theme-'After All'- written by Tom Snow and performed by Cher and Peter Cetera, has a great sound. This wouldn't be on the top of my list for rentals, but if you catch it on tv or cable, I think you'll enjoy it.

Great film; unimpressed with BluRay disc

[vincentlynch-moonoi · 7/10 · 9 June 2016]

This was always one of my favorite romantic comedies. It's a fairly unique story, well done in terms of writing, and well-played by the key actors.

I do want to say at the beginning that the Blu-Ray edition of this film, as produced by RLJEntertainment is NOT Blu-Ray quality. It's a very average DVD print. That's not to say its quality makes the movie un-enjoyable, but the sharpness is very lacking.

Here, Cybill Shepherd is married to Christopher McDonald in a very happy marriage. He is killed because he learns that a powerful judge is taking bribes from a mobster. Ryan O'Neal is the best friend of both Cybill and Christopher, and is secretly in love with Cybill himself. After his death, McDonald is reincarnated, but an angel forgets to make him forget his previous life, and -- now as Robert Downey, Jr., he falls in love with his former wife (Cybill), but also in love with his own daughter. Meanwhile, Ryan continues to care for Cybill and her daughter, though he is deprived of Cyvill's love. Of course, Downey does begin remembering his former life, and finally convinces Cybill and Ryan who he really is...although the daughter never learns that. In the climax, the memory of the crooked judge returns and Downey provides the photographic evidence needed to convict him. And of course, they all (except the judge) live happily ever after -- Ryan with Cybill and Downey with the daughter (but that's okay, his memory and soul have finally been erased).

This was the Robert Downey, Jr. that I loved, back when we (at least) thought he was a young Cary Grant in comedy-romance films like this one. Downey could handle such roles in a way that few such actors could. Of course, his years in embarrassing drug addiction ruined that ability...not as an actor, but as being believable when a sense of naivety was required for a part. This film was Downey at his peak in terms of romantic comedies. He's actually more successful now in totally different genres, and can no longer appear in films such as this one. A shame.

Ryan O'Neal was really good here. I'm not much of a fan, but every once in a while O'Neal would come up with role where he was perfect. This is one. Similarly, Cybill Shepherd was never much on my radar, but she shines in this film. Mary Stuart Masterson (as the daughter) is equally excellent here; but it seems as if she never continued that early promise. Christopher McDonald's career also went in a different direction than one might have expected after viewing this film. He's very good here, and physical similarities (at least at the time) between him and Downey make this work.

The one thing that people often bring up about this film is the Robert Downey's character ends up in love with his own daughter. Yes...but only after an angel wipes out his memory of a previous life. I guess it just depends on how you want to think of this and whether you want to let it bother you.

I give this film a very strong "7", but I am disappointed in the Blu-Ray version.

Made for those who have loved and lost but have never forgotten.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 13 May 2021]

How often do you find a film where everybody is so nice that you just root for them to find happiness regardless of the situation? That's the case for the widowed Cybil Shepherd, a Smithsonian curator so deeply in love with her late husband (Chris McDonald) that she's been in therapy for decades trying to get over his sudden death. Along comes Robert Downey Jr. Who appears to be McDonald's reincarnation, now dating Shepherd's daughter, Mary Stuart Masterson. Shepherd and McDonald's best friend, Ryan O'Neal, has stuck around for decades, always in love with Shepherd but unable to tell her. When Downey realizes the truth upon coming back to his (or McDonald's) old home, the old memories come back and this puts all four leading characters into a very precarious predicament.

"I'm so ripe I'm about to fall off the vine", Shepherd tells her therapist, James Noble. But is she so ripe that she would take away her daughter's boyfriend just because of an accident of reincarnation? Certainly the way McDonald was killed right in front of Shepherd's eyes is an understandable reason for her unable to accept the loss, and their love was so pure that you can feel her pain coming off of her like a grape from the vine.

There are other aspects of this film that makes it a fantasy comedy well worth seeing and filled with emotions that can make it both funny and tear jerking at the same time. Of course there's the classic Johnny Mathis song that opens up the film, but there's also the newly written song "After All", sung by Cher and Peter Cetera that is one of the greatest movie theme songs not to win the Academy Award. It's one of those songs that upon hearing it inside or out of the movie will create a dewy feeling.

Then there is veteran character actress Fran Ryan playing a Washington matron whom Downey charms, dancing her into a tizzy as she gets more and more rambunctious but unable to keep up with the much younger man. A plot line involving McDonald witnessing a judge with an organized crime lord seems thrown in for no good reason, but it does have a point that you need to stick with to see it unfold. Veteran character actors Henderson Forsythe, Dennis Patrick and Josef Summer also figure into the plot in important smaller roles, and the wonderful Kathleen Freeman is very funny in her bit role as the Yale library manager.

The sequence in heaven will remind you immediately of "Heaven Can Wait", but it is very funny with confusion allowing McDonald/Downey to be reincarnated without having his previous life memory removed. This is a film that is pleasing on so many levels, mostly spiritually because it reminds us of the power of love that never leaves our soul just because someone has been taken away from us in earthly form.

Lightweight, but watchable

[stills-6 · 6/10 · 9 October 1999]

A lightweight romantic comedy that's harmless enough. I particularly liked Masterson - she's really the only standout here. The plot is pretty basic for what it is, except for one crucial element that I think should have been explored more. The relationship between Downey and Masterson is played largely for laughs - he's actually her father's soul in a different body, and she becomes attracted to him - but it brings up all sorts of serious issues that are never discussed. I know, I know, it's just a light comedy - and normally I could forgive something like this, but for some reason it really bothered me. I mean, even "Back to the Future" dealt with this situation in a more sophisticated way. Nevertheless, it's aesthetically watchable and not a complete waste of time if you're not expecting too much.

A pretty idealistic and clichéd romantic comedy

[The-Sarkologist · 6/10 · 12 November 2011]

I found this to be a pretty silly movie. In a way I do not really detest romantic comedies, though I do find the silly Hollywood romantic ideals in these movie to be somewhat sickening. Chances Are is no different with everything working out in the end with all of the main characters happy in the end.

The plot of this movie is based around a man, Louis Jefferies (Robert Downey Jnr) dying in a road accident and leaving his wife a widow. He gets to heaven, not really knowing where he is, and says that he must get back, so he is given another chance to live. He is given a lot of really nice positions but wants to get back to Washington. He comes back, but isn't treated so he forgets who he was. Twenty three years later he has graduated from Yale and meets a young lady in the library, he helps her out and she thanks him. He them moves to Washington and attempts to get a job at the Washington Post. Though he is refused a job, he meets a nice man, Philip Train (Ryan O'Neal) who invites him around to his friend's house. Through a peculiar twist of fate it lands up to be his ex-wife's house and her daughter is the girl he met at the library. Hollywood really knows how to stretch believability.

The movie is supposed to be a confusing mixture of people chasing after each other and others running between bedrooms, but it really is not. Much of the comedy comes out of Louis Jefferies, who is now Alix Finch, realising that he was really Corinne Jefferies (Cybil Shepherd) husband, and then trying to convince her of that. It lands up with a clichéd Finch revealing all of his treasured secrets that only Jefferies would have known.

Corinne is a lovely character. Okay, she is jumps into bed with Train the minute they fall in love, but her devotion to her dead husband is beautifully admirable. She is so tied up with her dead husband that she spends a lot of time at the psychiatrist to try and get over her obsession.

This movie is also quite predictable: I know what Hollywood is like. I knew Finch could not get back together with Corinne, leaving both Train, and Miranda Jefferies (Mary Stuart Masterson) out in the cold. I know that they all must be satisfied at the end of the movie, the only question was how that was to happen.

This movie is based around the theme that Louis Jefferies is back from the dead and everything must work out. There are obstacles that the characters must overcome, but this movie is a fantasy and thus reality needs to be twisted a little. Even though what happened in heaven is false, not only is it a place where good people go, but people can have a second chance at life if they want. Earth is portrayed as a playground for the rich and the poor are really just animals that get in the way.

Chances Are, you'll like it!!!

[settember · 9/10 · 18 April 2001]

I was always a big fan of this movie, first of all have you seen the cast, the acting is superb and help make this movie move along very well. Cybill Shepherd was given great reviews for her role, and they were well deserved. The beginning of this movie starts in the past when Corinne Jeffries (Cybill) whose picture-perfect marriage comes to a shattering halt when her husband Louie dies unexpectedly. Fortunately, Louse gets a second shot at life when he agrees to be "recycled" back to earth as the newborn Alex Finch (Robert Downey, JR). Alex goes on to live his new life forgetting his past life while Corinne tries to get on with hers. But fate crosses Alexs path 23 years later when he meets Corinne's daughter Miranda (Mary Stuart Masterson) and is suddenly flooded with a wealth of unwanted memories (this is where the fun begins, and embarrassing situations occur.) The music is great and the scenes are heart felt and very cute. You wont be disappointed if you give it a chance, Chances Are you'll like it. Very funny and sweet!

Nice enough :)

[YFL · 7/10 · 11 July 1999]

This isn't the best romantic comedy ever made, but it is certainly pretty nice and watchable. It's directed in an old-fashioned way and that works fine. Cybill Shepherd as Corinne isn't bad in her role as the woman who can't get over her husband's death. She has a sexy maturity. But I can't say much for Ryan O'Neal as Philip, because he is, at best, nondescript. He may be adequate in the role, but that's not good enough.

However, I get the feeling that some of the characters, particularly Alex and Miranda, are not written with enough in-depth thought. We don't know anything else about them because minutes after they appear the story gets thick, and the writers don't tell us much beyond what happens. But that problem was salvaged because Mary Stuart Masterson has a fresh-as-a-daisy sweetness to brighten it up, and Robert Downey Jr. is so charming that he melts the screen. Even his smile is infectious. And it so happens that his big dreamy eyes are perfect for the deja vu and flashback scenes.

Anyway, this movie is light and easy and if you like them that way, why not give it a try.

It would be good, if not the ending

[snowdancing · 4/10 · 17 August 2009]

First I liked that movie. It seemed to me a nice comedy with some silly moments. The costume designer Albert Wolsky did his best!!! The same as wonderful set decorator Robert R. Benton - this man really had a very good taste!!! But the script writers disappointed me extremely. The best ending would be the scene on the ladder, but instead of it, they decided that the father and his daughter should be together. Don't like the ending. The father becomes boyfriend of his own daughter and his ex-wife knows about it and finds it alright. It would be OK, if the scriptwriters would for example say that now there is a different soul in the body, but they did not, they only deprived him of memories. The actors were good, they were really funny. Cybill Shepherd was charming, Robert Downey Jr. was very funny in the dancing scene : )))... But some of the moments spoil even the impression of good acting. For example, Corinne Jeffries, played by Cybill Shepherd after the death of her husband was waiting for him 23 years (it's a long time!), she was true to him, she loved nobody but him, and when she met him and was just about making love to him, after a scene with her friend Philip Train (Ryan O'Neal), she very easily betrayed the man she was longing for so many years!!! It would be a good movie, if not the ending and some missed human psychology.

A Film that Might Have Slipped by You...

[ijonesiii · 8/10 · 23 December 2005]

CHANCES ARE is a charming romantic fantasy about a woman (Cybill Shepherd) whose husband (Christopher McDonald) is killed shortly after learning she is pregnant. We then see the husband in heaven letting the powers that be know that he was taken too soon and that his wife needs him. He is told he can return to earth but not as himself. Flashforward 19 years where we see Shepherd's daughter (Mary Stuart Masterson) preparing to graduate from college and encountering a young man (Robert Downey Jr.)who, it turns out is the reincarnation of her father. The film is a little on the predictable side...the story goes all the places you expect it to, but it is so charmingly played by an energetic cast (especially Shepherd and Downey) that you can't help but get wrapped up in the fun. Shepherd has rarely been seen on screen to better advantage and she and Downey are backed by a talented group of character actors in supporting roles. A lovely and charming fantasy that will engulf and enchant you.

An entertaining chick-flick with little depth

[Jodelle · 6/10 · 9 December 2000]

I saw Chances Are three times in the theater! That is not to say it's a great movie. I was 17 years old at the time and a high school junior. Romance was high on the list of interests for me. This movie provided a sense of true romantic love albeit with a twisted sense of morality.

This movie is lightly entertaining. It's worth a view if you can't find anything in the video store with your girlfriends that you haven't already seen. As this movie's over a decade old it doesn't necessarily catch one's eye. Cybil Shepherd isn't exactly in her element here, Robert Downey seems more so, though it's hard to respect the guy's sense of morality. This comes into play when he decides to fall for both a mother and daughter! (Ok, decides isn't quite the right word, you'll have to see the film to know what I mean.)

At any rate, I'd give it a low 6 out of 10.

Chances Are You Are Wasting Your Time

[jlangbert · 3/10 · 31 August 2002]

Predictable plot. Simple dialogue. Shockingly unemotional performances. But Robert Downey, Jr. is so cute, I gave this "poor man's afternoon special" a 3 instead of the 1 or 2 it so richly deserved.

Very touching show

[simoncsk · 27 May 2003]

Seen it... felt that it is a very nice and touching show..

A beautiful love / comedy.. Highly recommended for all.. Very funny too...

What if you could come back to life but as your daughters new boyfriend

[lisafordeay · 7/10 · 10 February 2024]

Chances Are is a 1989 romantic fantasy comedy starring Cybrill Sheppard,Mary Stuart Matheson,Ryan O 'Neal,Robert Downey Jr and Christopher McDonald.

From the director of Sister Act and 3 Men And A Lady,the story follows Louie Jeffries(McDonald) who is happily married to Corinne(Sheppard). Tragedy strikes however when on their first wedding anniversary, Louie is killed after getting knocked down by a car while crossing the road.

Louie then finds himself stuck in heaven,and is desperate to go back to Earth again to be with Corinne. He ends up getting reincarnated as Alex Finch(Downey Jr), a young Yale student who becomes smitten with another student Miranda(Mathseon).

It's not until Alex meets Phillip(O'Neal) a former friend of Louie's who gets invited back to Louie's house. From there Alex starts getting flashbacks on another person's life and discovers his real identity,his really Louie.

Will Louie come back to Earth again or will Alex stay?. Yes the story does sound absurd as a reincarnated man falls for his daughter and no one believes that his reincarnated. But overall it was a good flick.

Reminiscenses of my past life!!!

[elo-equipamentos · 7/10 · 24 January 2019]

After something around a dozen times this subject over past lives is back, now it touching on overtly on reincarnation process, the threesome main leading roles includes Shepherd who is still sexy even near forty years old, an already forgotten Ryan O'neil and a promissing actor that reachs the stardom later Robert Downey Jr., this amazing romantic movie made a huge success worldwide, driven as soft and humorous oriented comedy, a true high class picture, a bit mistakes and a weak point is about the so sugary music score, to much kitsch to my taste, Stewat and Cher...UGH!!! anyway a fine movie that just come out on amazing original dubbed version to my delight, sorry for those who preffer subtitles!!

Resume:

First watch: 1994 / How many: 4 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.5

Another charming romantic-comedy with Robert Downey, Jr.!

[BobbyT24 · 7/10 · 7 October 2015]

"Chances Are" is one of several romantic-comedies in the late-80s/early-90s starring Robert Downey, Jr. as the romantic/comedic lead. In my opinion, this is one of his best.

Along with the under-rated 1993 "Heart & Souls", these two movies bookend one another beautifully. They could almost be confused as the same movie since they look the same, have the same sense of humor and have the same leading man playing essentially the same character with minor differences. It may be why the new "Chances Are" cover has changed from the original 1989 purple and white cover. While "Chances Are" has RDJ being reincarnated to reunite with his long-lost love and her family, "Heart & Souls" has RDJ as the conduit for five ghosts to set things right with THEIR families. I believe "Chances Are" edges out the deserving "Heart & Souls" by a smidgen due to the better romantic theme and simple storyline vs. the more complicated "Heart & Souls" script due to the five ghosts' story lines.

As for "Chances Are" by itself, RDJ plays a reincarnated Louie Jeffries who was married in the 1960s to Cybill Shepherd (this was her last "beauty" movie where she looked stunning). Louie dies on his first anniversary and is reincarnated as RDJ. RDJ stumbles across the adorable Mary Stuart Masterson at university and eventually crosses paths with newspaper superstar, Ryan O'Neal, and Cybill, who has kept the candle lit for her dead husband for two decades, all within the first 15 minutes of the movie. Through several twists and comedic turns, RDJ realizes who he was and tries rekindling the flames with someone old enough to be his mother - and everyone else thinks he's either a gold-digger extraordinaire and/or psychotic. The entire story reminds me of the old-time Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant comedies of yesteryear where a little bit of overacting was allowed because it put a smile on your face no matter if the story was credible or not.

The movie is light, funny, charming, and just enough romance to make it a perfect date movie. The men will enjoy the humor and women will enjoy the romance. The cast looks to be genuinely enjoying themselves which makes the unlikely story easy to swallow. Robert Downey, Jr. has always been a special physical actor. He embodies the qualities of other actors into his own persona and magic comes out on-screen.

This may not be perfection, but it is worth watching as a light-hearted romantic comedy. I enjoy it every time I watch it again. It's in my top-20 rom/coms of all-time not because it's a classic - but because all the pieces fit so well to make a fun movie experience. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. 7 out of 10.

More potential than is actually lived out

[kyle-cruse · 7/10 · 24 November 2009]

Ordinarily I really enjoy movies like "Chances Are," but I wasn't quite satisfied with this one for a few reasons. The first half was pretty well done overall, with Alex Finch dying and being reincarnated in a new body (played by Robert Downey Jr.). He meets up with his wife (Cybill Shepherd) and friend (Ryan O'Neal) and his daughter, who is now grown up. The scenes with them meeting again and Downey rediscovering who he once was are well done, and there is a good amount of emotion and happiness once Shepherd finally believes its really her husband reincarnated, but from there the film goes downhill. There are several sex-related scenes that turned me off completely, especially Downey and Shepherd wanting to get together again despite the difference in their age now. After that, however, the film manages to end in the most satisfying way possible, considering the circumstances of the plot. I was disappointed because I did not expect the film to become so immoral by the end. There was great potential with this story, and the scenes in heaven are well done. There is a good theme song sung by Peter Cetera and Cher, but ultimately the film is not great. For a better, similar film, try "Heaven Can Wait." Decent, but I really kind of wish I hadn't seen it because of the scenes in the second half.

*** out of ****

Charming Romantic Comedy

[harry-76 · 8/10 · 19 April 2004]

Writers Perry and Randy Howze crafted a very engaging little story in "Chances Are."

Using the idea of a reincarnated man who happens to return to his former wife's home many years later, the plot takes unexpected, delightful turns.

Twenty four year old Robert Downey, Jr. renders a delightful performance, ably assisted by Cybil Shepherd as the widow and Ryan O'Neal as a good friend.

This trio has just the right chemistry for this caper, playing off one another with a graceful style. I've watched this film a number of times on tv, and each time found it most enjoyable.

Chances Are You Might Hate This, Too

[ccthemovieman-1 · 2/10 · 28 April 2006]

Chances are if I watched this again I might get physically sick, the film is so annoying.....unless you believe in psychics, re-incarnation and the other hocus- pocus which this promotes big-time. The "re-cycling of souls," they call it here. Puh-leeze.

This story has been done several times before with such films as "Heaven Can Wait." It's also been done a lot better. Too bad they had to waste the talents of Robert Downey Jr., Cybill Shepherd, Ryan O'Neal and Mary Stuart Masterson.

At least it's a pretty tame film, language-wise. That's about the only redeeming quality of this movie.

Great comedy/romance...

[awild · 9/10 · 24 July 2005]

Nay Sayers of this film are likely bitter from some seriously unrequited love. This is a great film for anyone capable of understanding Johnny Mathis's song, or any song from that era: Bobby Darin's, Beyond the Sea... or Stan Getz's, The Girl From Ipanema, et al...

I measure films by how many times I have to watch them before I'm satisfied... Chances Are had me back a few good times.

I also watch the synergy between the cast... I thought they worked well together.

Open your heart, and let the comedic magic of film transport you.

'Alan

The movie is great, however...

[lovely_thegenius · 5/10 · 24 October 2018]

The movie is great. The actors, and the cinematography (given the year it was made) were great, but the ending seems weird for me. Watching it in 2018 is weird, since people's mindset are way more different compared to decades ago. The ending would have been great (and also felt right) if Alex completely left the family (Corrine, Philipp and Miranda), like out of the picture, after the night when Philipp caught them (Corrine and Alex) doing "stuff". It was, in a way, showing that he has accepted his fate and he's moving forward, or something like that, BEFORE he lost his memories of his past life (being Louie). The ending is weird since Philipp and Corrine knew that he was Louie but they let him and Miranda, which is HIS daughter, be in a romantic relationship. Or it might have been that Corrine and Philipp knew that Alex lost his memories of what happened and his past life, well if that's the case, the script should have been improved since it was weak in a way that it was not clear the Corrine and Philipp already knew it.

PS sorry if i misspelled the names.

Delightful Romantic Comedy

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 2 April 2019]

The lawyer Louie (Christopher McDonald) and the museum curator Corinne (Cybill Shepherd) are in love with each other. Corinne is pregnant and Louis schedules to have dinner in a restaurant with his beloved wife. However, a car hits him and he dies. He awakes in heaven and asks to reincarnate a.s.a.p. to be with Corinne. However the angel forgets to erase his memory when he returns to Earth. Twenty-three years later, Corinne has not forgotten Louis; she has a daughter, Miranda (Mary Stuart Masterson) that is in law school; and Louis´ best friend Philip (Ryan O'Neal) is close to the family. One day, Alex (Robert Downey Jr), who is Louis´ reincarnation, stumbles upon Miranda and fells attracted for her. She invites him to meet her family and he sees Corinne, bringing recollection and the feelings of his previous life. What will Alex do?

"Chances Are" is a delightful romantic comedy from the 80´s. It is impressive how creative were the writers and screenwriters in this decade. Even thirty and something years later, these comedies are still cult. "Chances Are" is no exception and it is a tremendous family entertainment in the present days. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Céu se Enganou" ("The Heaven Has Mistaken")

A pleasant fantasy comedy that's aided by the performances of a strong cast

[soranno · 9 November 2002]

A married couple (Cybill Shepherd, Christopher McDonald) remain extremely faithful to one another throughout their marriage but their happiness is cut short by McDonald's accidental death. Shepherd is devastated and her husband's best friend (Ryan O'Neal) serves as her only other male companion. O'Neal has strong romantic feelings for Shepherd and would like to fill in her empty nest but he only wants to pursue it if he's sure that Shepherd is ready for it as well. One night, Shepherd's teenaged daughter (Mary Stuart Masterson) invites a friend (Robert Downey Jr.) over for dinner. A heavenly mix up causes McDonald's spirit to be inside Downey's body and he and Shepherd are brought back together by fate much to O'Neal's chagrin. A fairly amusing romantic fantasy comedy that works in spite of its sometimes hokey plot.